This application relates to license plate brackets, specifically to such brackets which are used on utility trailers.
Conventional mounts position the license plate below the tail lights, where the plates are frequently bent by contact with the ground either during towing, manipulation by the tongue, or tilting of the back of the trailer toward the ground.
A few types of brackets have been designed in an attempt to minimize damage caused by the license plate hitting an object while the trailer or other vehicle is moving at relatively low speed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,350 to Kyprios discloses a plate bracket that allows the plate to temporarily bend forward or backward if the plate strikes an obstacle or the ground. However, this bracket is only a halfway solution, because an object hitting the plate hard enough or from the wrong angle will still cause damage to the plate. In addition, the bracket contains numerous moving flexible parts that are subject to breakage and wear over time. Moreover, Kyprios' bracket is not useful in the common situation where the back end of the trailer pivots straight down, causing the bottom edge of the plate to hit the ground perpendicular or almost perpendicular to the plate.
A partial solution to this last problem is found in Ross, U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,803, which discloses a license plate bracket with a moving hinge on top and a roller positioned beneath the plate. Beyond this minor addition, however, Ross' bracket still contains the other flaws of Kyprios' bracket (e.g., moving parts, still subject to damage from high speeds or wrong angle), and contains the additional weakness of having a thin T-strip supporting the plate, thus making it even more susceptible to becoming twisted. Moreover, it is unlikely that Ross' bracket will cause the license plate to pivot away from the ground if the plate is directly perpendicular when contacting the ground.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a utility license plate bracket that avoids the above problems altogether, by placing the license plate up and out of harm's way, thereby eliminating the possibility that the license plate will hit obstacles or the ground while the utility trailer is in motion and/or tilted backwards. It is another object of the present invention to allow an electric light to become part of the license plate display, despite the license plate being positioned above and away from the tail light.
In the displayed embodiment, the license plate bracket comprises a bracket for mounting a license plate to a utility trailer, comprising: a) at least one sheet of rigid material; b) a means to secure the at least one sheet to a tail light holder of the utility trailer, and an alternative means to secure the at least one sheet to the back gate of the utility trailer; c) a means to secure the license plate to the at least one sheet, wherein the lowest horizontal edge of the license plate is positioned above the top horizontal edge of the tail light holder; and d) a means to secure an electric light to the at least one sheet, wherein the electric light is positioned approximately above the top edge of the license plate. It will be understood that the terms “rigid” and “semi-rigid” are used interchangeably herein.
The at least one sheet of rigid material in this first embodiment is secured to the tail light holder of the utility trailer. As an alternative means of fastening the bracket to the utility trailer, the at least one sheet can be secured directly to the back gate of the utility trailer.
In this embodiment, the means to secure the at least one sheet to the tail light holder comprises a first plurality of bracket holes which correspond spatially with a plurality of holes or bolts in the tail light holder. A fastener means extends through this first plurality of bracket holes and the plurality of holes in the tail light holder. Alternatively, the fastener means will secure to the tail light holder bolts that align with the first plurality of bracket holes. The means to secure the at least one sheet to the license plate comprises a second plurality of bracket holes which correspond spatially with a plurality of holes in the license plate, with the fastener means extending through the second plurality of bracket holes and plurality of holes in the license plate.
The displayed bracket further comprises a recessed channel to serve as a cover for an electric cord, with one end of the recessed channel terminating near the means to secure an electric light.
The displayed bracket further comprises multiple ridges of rigid material for support, wherein the ridges are approximately perpendicular to the face of the sheets and run approximately vertically on the face of the sheets. In this embodiment, the ridges are positioned on either side of the various bracket holes in order to protect the securing means. Two of the ridges also create a path for the electric cord light.
The bracket is wired with a quick disconnect adapter so that the bracket can be used in a tail light mounted position as well as a trailer tail gate mounted position. A wiring and mounting kit can be used to power and secure the bracket to the trailer tailgate using the original bracket.
Various other features, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after a reading of the following specification.